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Behavioral Contagion in Wild Ecuadorian White-Fronted Capuchins (Cebus aequatorialis)
Núria Hassina Hannaoui1, Federica Amici2,3, Alexandra Hoeneisen4
1Fundació UdG: Innovació i Formació, Parc de Recerca i Innovació, Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain.
American Journal of Primatology
|January 26, 2026
Summary
Scratch contagion was observed in wild capuchin monkeys, showing that observing a conspecific scratch increased the likelihood of scratching. This social behavior, however, was not influenced by individual or dyadic factors.
Area of Science:
- Primatology
- Ethology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Behavioral contagion, like yawn contagion, is common in animals and aids social cohesion.
- Scratch contagion is less studied, especially in wild primate populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate scratch and yawn contagion in a wild group of Ecuadorian white-fronted capuchins.
- To determine if contagion is influenced by individual or dyadic characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Observational study of 16 white-fronted capuchins in Ecuador.
- Assessed scratching and yawning frequency after observing conspecifics (triggering events) versus a control.
Main Results:
- Scratching probability significantly increased after observing a conspecific scratch.
- No yawning events were recorded.
- Scratch contagion was not modulated by sex, age, social centrality, or social bond strength.
Conclusions:
- This study provides evidence for scratch contagion in wild capuchins.
- Further research is needed to explore social factors influencing behavioral contagion in primates.
Keywords:
centralitycomposite sociality indexcontagious scratchingcontagious yawningsocial network analysisMore Related Videos
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